by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

President Obama told a Hispanic audience Thursday that he has no choice but to deport immigrants who are in the United States illegally because that's what the law demands.

"Congress has said you have to enforce these laws," Obama said during a virtual town hall otherwise devoted to health care. "I cannot ignore these laws."

Obama used the event, co-sponsored by Spanish-language media outlets, to encourage Hispanics to sign up for health care coverage ahead of a key deadline at the end of this month.

In addition to discussing health care, Obama found himself defending record-setting deportation numbers that have drawn the ire of Hispanic organizations nationwide. Earlier this week, Janet Murguia - president of the National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Latino advocacy organization - described Obama as "deporter-in-chief."

Asked repeatedly about the issue, Obama said he has told immigration authorities to focus deportations on people who have criminal records or a history of gang activity, not young people who are in school.

Obama also reminded the audience that he has asked Congress to pass new legislation that can help clarify the immigration system, including a path to citizenship for people who are already here illegally.

"Until Congress passes a new law, I am constrained as to what I can do," Obama said.

The town hall was designed to encourage Hispanics to sign up for insurance coverage through exchanges created by the health care law.

Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for health care benefits, Obama said in response to one question, and he told the crowd that private health care information will not be shared with immigration authorities.

The virtual town hall took place a day after the Obama administration announced another delay in parts of the law, including one that will give people more time to hold insurance policies that do not have all the new legal requirements.

Such a complex law requires "smoothing out," Obama said when asked about a series of delays.

The deadline for health exchange sign-ups this year is March 31, and Obama declined a request for an extension of that provision.